Period drama enthusiasts seeking their next binge-watch should consider Howards End, currently available on Amazon Prime Video. The 1992 film, based on E.M. Forster's 1910 novel, has garnered widespread acclaim from IMDb audiences, with one reviewer calling it a 'delicious adaptation from a superb novel' and comparing it to acclaimed productions like Return to Brideshead and Gosford Park.
A perfect 10/10 rating declared: 'The screenplay has no lapses of any kind and never falls into the usual traps. Loyal to its source material and yet, cinematic in the most revolutionary traditional sense of the word.' Another stellar review, titled 'close to perfection', celebrated the 'masterful performances' that rendered the film essential viewing, noting it is 'one of the few good movies that does justice to the great book from which it was taken.'
A third maximum-score review commended the production for being 'so subtle, yet so very clever', adding: 'If you love excellence then you'll love this film, because it is filled with excellence. It's not fast paced like a thriller, but not a single moment of the film is wasted.' The reviewer concluded: 'This is probably the most nuanced film you'll ever see, and it is a masterpiece.'
Set in early 20th-century England, the story follows three families: the wealthy Wilcoxes, the intellectual Schlegel sisters, and the struggling Basts. The cast includes Emma Thompson as Margaret Schlegel, Helena Bonham Carter as Helen Schlegel, Anthony Hopkins as Henry Wilcox, Vanessa Redgrave as Ruth Wilcox, and Prunella Scales as Aunt Juley. The film was produced by Merchant Ivory Productions, known for A Room with a View and The Remains of the Day.
Howards End received nine Oscar nominations, winning Best Actress for Thompson, Best Screenplay, and Best Art Direction. It also won Best Film and Best Actress at the BAFTAs. The film is available to stream on Prime Video.
